Of course, many viewed that – an amateur driver taking himself out for a top-rung pro, in the midst of a points battle – as a way to enhance Starworks’ championship chances with three races to go, and either way, it worked, as Dalziel is now just six points behind leader and current champions Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, who finished third in their Ganassi BMW Riley.

With the departure of the Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley from contention – it led early, but was slowed by a flat left front tire -- the race appeared to be coasting to an undramatic end when, with about 14 minutes to go, David Donohue, in one of the two Action Express Chevrolet Corvettes, didn’t see the Horton Porsche next to him, and body-slammed it into the wall, bringing out a 10-minute caution.

Though none of the top positions changed in the DP class, it gave Bourdais a shot at leader Dalziel – who, incidentally, was also a Starworks teammate. Were there team orders? Yes, said team principal Peter Baron – “Don’t run into each other.”

“Our cars were identical set-up wise,” Bourdais said. “I’m very happy to finish up front, It’s a very hard track to pass on.”

Surprisingly, it was Dalziel’s first Grand-Am win of the year, though he has a class victory at Le Mans and at Sebring. It has been an interesting week due to Potolicchio’s departure – “I was unemployed, and employed, and resigned at one point,” Dalziel said, “but I’m really happy to get a victory.”

In GT, the Turner BMW of Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lanna barely beat Boris Said and Eric Curran in the Marsh Chevrolet Corvette. Third was the Brumos Porsche of Andrew Davis and Leh Keen.

Though he is still in the points lead, Scott Pruett is having to fight for every position. “We just didn’t have enough legs for the Fords,” said Pruett, whose BMW engine has not had the dominating power it has the past few years.

The first lap of the race was dramatic from a GT standpoint, when Emil Assentato botched the start in his AIM Ferrari, and slammed the Stevenson Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro – the Camaro finished 22nd, and the Ferrari was 15th.

The two-hour race had 25 entries, with nine Daytona Prototypes and the balance GT cars. The series moves to Montreal in a week.